AlkaSeltzer Rocket

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Alka-Seltzer Rocket

• How Does It Work?

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Rockets
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How Does the Alka-Seltzer Rocket Work?

• Water dissolves Alka-Seltzer tablet
• CO2 is formed
• Pressure builds up
• Pressure too much
• Cap accelerates downward
• Rocket accelerates upward

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Alka-Seltzer Rocket

• Why does the rocket take off?
• Newtons Third Law
• Force of cap and mixture downward balanced by
  force of rocket going upward.

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How Do Real Rockets Work?

• In the same way! Just on a bigger scale
• Essentially throws mass in one direction in
  order to go in the opposite direction

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How do Real Rockets Work?

• Rocket engine throws mass in form of high
  pressure gas
• Mass going in one direction causes reaction
  (spacecraft motion) in the other
• The burning action allows the fuel to exit the
  rocket at high speed

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Thrust

• The strength of the rocket engine is its Thrust
• Thrust is measured in Newtons (N)
• If thrust is greater than the force of gravity
  (mass x g) then the rocket accelerates upward

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Any Questions?